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Would You Like More Salt With That Wound - Post-Sentence Victim Allocution In Texas Comment., Keith D. Nicholson

St. Mary's Law Journal

A majority of states permit victim allocution of some sort, with victim impact statements made during the pre-sentencing stage, but Texas is currently the only state which permits victim allocution after sentencing. Since 1991, no one has seriously challenged the Texas practice of allowing such victim statements. Yet, scenes of violence between families of the defendants and the victims following such statements has ignited a movement to reassess the utility of allowing victims to address defendants who have already received their sentences. Originally, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 42.03 provided victims the chance to present a statement after the …